Back to reality
by alwaysdaretodream
Summary: It is done. Voldemort is defeated. Yet is the war truly over for Harry? Or is he at war with himself?


**Hey there! This is my first fanfiction posted on here, so please feel free to review/favourite! Thank you!**

I smiled.

It. Was. Done. The trial was over. I had Ginny, I had Ron, and he had Hermione. I was free, finally, for the first time in my life, I was truly, utterly, care free.

But then I realized who had fought for me, and my smile died as well with this thought. People had died for the cause which had taken over my life. I remembered the sacrifices that had been made.

"It's not fair" A whisper escaped my lips. I curled my legs up to my knees on top of the faded red sofa. I rested my forehead on my knees and closed my eyes. It was over, why was I missing it?

It had been a week since they had let me go for good. The days since then had been full of Funerals and formalities. It was just now that everyone was starting to let the reality of events sink in. I found this the hardest out of everyone. After all, it had been my life fighting them since I was smaller than a bowtruckle,

I heard the sound of high heels against wood, and the sound of muffled laughter through the wooden kitchen door of the house. Since the battle the air had had an atmosphere of grief and sorrow to it, so the laughter seemed unusual, yet optimistic. It was the sound of change.

Almost at her cue Hermione came through the door wearing a black dress adorned with iconic black flowers and a ribbon sash-belt. Paired with this she wore black court high heels and her hair loose, like she had always worn it at school. Ron followed her through the door, wearing a black suit with a football tie and black dress shoes. The way he looked at her, adoringly, was surprising. Things were definitely different between the two. Hermione walked the threshold of the room and knelt down, coming level with me. She rested her hand upon my knee for support.

"It's time" She said gently, then sighed. I gripped her hand, wiped my brow with my other, and stood up and hugged her. "I'm fine" I assured her. "Really I am." I braved a smile. Today was going to be hard and ever since my discovery everyone's perception had changed. "Anyway, I've got to fetch my speech from upstairs." Before a reply could be said I brushed past them both and whisked up the stairs right the way up to Ron's room. I pounced on the pile of cards that contained the speech that recently had become my project, the only thing keeping me going.

On my way back down I passed what had been the twins old room, a wave of sadness came over me. Poor George, twin-less for the rest of his life. Fred's funeral was two days ago. Honestly if someone else boasted that they attended a more flamboyant funeral I wouldn't believe it. It was the last thing you would have expected from the Weasley's financial problems. But, George had pulled out all the stops. It was less a funeral that a celebration of life. Tears were dried with colorful handkerchiefs and the walls sported large pictures of the family's favorite moments of him, always changing. His first day at school, Christmases, Birthdays, the family holiday to Egypt, caring for one another, that was their way. As my foot touched the second step down to the lower levels of the house I heard a crash come from the room I had just been reminiscing over. I hadn't been aware of anyone in that room so I retraced my steps back up the stairs to the twins' room, carefully pushed the door covered in posters of footballers open and walked in.

It felt like walking back in a time warp. The wallpaper was a faded blue. The two twin beds weren't made; over them was a large picture of the school football team from third year, all of us looking somewhat goofy and adorable. I smiled slightly at the memory. They were the good days. The desks were covered in paper and there were sympathy cards everywhere! In boxes, in bags, piles of it just cluttered around the room, on top of wardrobes and under beds. Again I was drawn to the source of the crash. And then I spotted her.

Ginny, sitting there amidst a pile of boxes, weeping. "Ginny, what are you doing?" I asked her softly, kneeling down next to her as Hermione had done to me. She looked up at me, her face tear-stained and puffy. I stroked her hair out of her face; I must have looked concerned as she answered pretty fast, her voice shaky and her breathing heavy. "I I J-just was draw-n-n to this room" Her breath coming fast and uneven, she was almost hyperventilating. "Harry, I m-miss him so-o much!" She started sobbing heavily. I drew her into a tight embrace.

"It's going to be ok." I soothed. "Today's going to be another hard day. Come with me – We'll do this together" Ginny looked up at me with her beautiful brown eyes, adoringly.

"Lets" She breathed, standing and brushing dust off my suit. "Oh Harry your tie is all messy!" She undid it and while she redid the black and red tie around my neck I looked at her closely. Ever since the trial she had lost weight, I'd heard her screaming out in the night. She wasn't taking this well. I felt her pain.

"I love you Ginny" I blurted out. My brain automatically went into freeze mode. What did I just do? 'Please react well' I sent out telepathic messages to her. They must have worked. But she looked as shocked as me, her tears dried up and she raised her head to look at me. Her hand rested against my chest, the tie now tidily in place.

"I love you too Harry." She replied. I smiled as she took my hand and led me downstairs. "Let's do this together."


End file.
